Pianist Xu Zhong announced an ambitious plan to play Mozart's entire 27 piano concertos at 12 concerts this year to celebrate the 260th anniversary of the composer's death.

Xu said he would play and conduct the music himself, which is how Mozart worked.

He will play Mozart's piano concerto No. 12, No. 9, No. 8 and No. 21 in the first concert at the Shanghai Grand Theater on May 29 in cooperation with the Shanghai Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.

At following concerts in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, he will play extensively with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Hamburg Chamber Orchestra, St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa.

"I am 37 and at this age I want a breakthrough as a musician," the Shanghai native said. "Playing Mozart's 27 piano concertos is a perfect way to achieve this."

(Shanghai Daily April 27, 2005)